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Northern Panhandle Leaders Explore Faith-Based Addiction Treatment in Wheeling

Photos by Linda Comins Panelists for the “Combating Addiction with Grace” conference in Wheeling on Thursday are, from left, Ohio County Sheriff Tom Howard, Drug Enforcement Agency agent Dan Mavromatis, Brooke County Sheriff Larry Palmer, Weirton Police Chief Rob Alexander and Wheeling Councilwoman Wendy Scatterday.

WHEELING — Community representatives are taking another step toward offering a faith-based approach to the region’s substance abuse crisis.

A day-long conference, “Combating Addiction with Grace,” was held at Wheeling Jesuit University on Thursday. The event drew officials from service agencies and governmental entities, faith leaders and other area residents.

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, who organized the conference, noted the state ranks first in the nation for opioid-related deaths.

He said, “Far too many of our state’s sons and daughters are affected by this deadly epidemic. All of us are affected in one way or another. This is an issue that pervades the entire spectrum … We have to solve this problem within the communities.”

Citing treatment as a central component to dealing with addiction, Morrisey said, “I’m a firm believer that faith-based treatment works … If we attack this problem in a nondenominational approach, we’re going to reach more people.”

Greg Delaney, a pastor who works with Ohio Attorney General Michael DeWine’s faith-based initiative, served as moderator for the conference. Delaney, who is in his ninth year of alcohol recovery, said the goals were to educate, enlighten, equip and engage participants.

The Ohio pastor offered five points for a faith-based approach to combating addiction:

∫ Don’t re-invent research. Delaney said a lack of information about service providers is the most common problem in trying to help people.

∫ Don’t re-create — collaborate. “We have to get down below that denominational line. We have to look to collaborate,” he said. “We have to be the example of collaboration and unity.”

∫ Remember it is a faith thing.

∫ Get back to being the community.

∫ It starts with individual investment. He said, “This is an investment for the church.”

A highlight of the conference was a panel discussion on the role of law enforcement and first responders. Panelists were Ohio County Sheriff Tom Howard, Brooke County Sheriff Larry Palmer, Weirton Police Chief Rob Alexander, Wheeling Councilwoman Wendy Scatterday and Dan Mavromatis of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency’s Clarksburg office.

Regarding the scope of Ohio County’s problem, Howard said, “There have been 70 overdoses in the past few months, which is a lot for this area. It’s bad in this area. It’s all through the county. Law enforcement has to stay involved.”

Palmer said his department tries to be pro-active by providing information and making referrals after an overdose or arrest. He said, “We’re trying to get these folks some help. It’s a work in progress, but I think we’re on the right path.”

Howard agreed, saying, “Incarceration is not the answer. Treatment is the answer.”

Scatterday said the city of Wheeling has allocated resources to hire an interventionist to do follow-up work after overdoses. The position, based in the police department, will be filled in the next few months, she said.

Alexander said Weirton’s new ordinance — making it a crime to be under the influence of controlled substances in public — has given police leverage to make abusers seek treatment.

Deputies in Ohio and Brooke counties, Weirton police and DEA agents carry naxolone (Narcan) to reverse opioid overdoses. Panelists said officers’ roles are to save lives, not judge people.

Panelists agreed that education starts in schools with resource officers building rapport with students. Mavromatis said, “We (DEA agents) never miss an opportunity to work with kids. We need to get out in the community and do it more often.”

Scatterday urged faith leaders to encourage adults in their congregations to become mentors to youth. She said, “There is a desperate, desperate need for mentors in all communities.”

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